Electromagnetic tool



De@v 30, l 924.

R. W. CATCHING ELECTROMAGNETI C TOOL Filed March 12, 1921 W/ TIVESSES YCTI Patented Dec. 30, 1924.

UNETED STATES ROY WEBER CATCHING,

F ROSEB'URG, OREGON.

ELECTROMAGNETIC TOOL. i

Application filed March 12,

To all whom t may concern.'

magnetic Tools, of Which the following is av specification.

My invention relates to electro-magnetic tools of the kind employed forpicking up and recovering articles of magnetic material whichfhave foundlodgment in places inconvenient or impossible of access by other means`.ordinarily available. The invention is particularly designed to beused as part of an automobile equipment for picking up small pieces,such as nuts, bolts, spring locks, small wrenches and other small piecesof iron which have been dropped in and around the motor where they canbe reached very inconveniently, ornot at all, by the means ordinarily athand.

An object of the invention is to provide a tool of the above mentionedcharacter which can be easily and quickly adjusted to conform topassages of various forms and to retrieve objects lodged around cornersor behind obstacles.

A. further object is to provide a tool which will consume electricalenergy only When in actual use and which may, therefore, be permanentlyconnected in circuit with a source of electric energy, thus avoiding theannoyance and loss of time caused by havin to make the electricconnections each time 1t is desired to use the tool.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe description proceeds.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

Figure l is a longitudinal section of an electro-magnetic tool embodyingmy invention.

Figure 2 is a side view of the same,

Figure 3 is a frangmentary sectional view through the handle member,illustrating the switch mechanism for controlling the magnet circuit,

Figure 4. is a sectional View looking toward the inner end of thehandle, andl Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the circuitconnections.

The tool consists of a long slender electromagnet l, which is fastenedby a screw 2 in an axially extending socket of a handle member S. Themagnet winding consists of 1921. Serial No. 451,833. Y

a single helix extending from end to end of the core, as shown inFigures l and 2. These figures however, show the winding somewhatdiagrammatically, as in practice the adjacent turns will besubstantially in contact. It is not an essential feature of my inventionthat the winding extend throughout the core, that is, from the end ofthe core up to the handle, nor is it essential that the winding consistof only one helix. It is only necessary that the magnet be comparativelyslender so as to be able to enter small passages, that the windingshould not interfere with the bending or adjustment of the magnet, and,of course, that the number of ampere turns be suflicient to generate therequired flux. quirements are satisfactorily met by providing a windingof a single helix extending substantially from end to end of the core;but it may be desired for some purposes to provide the core with two ormore. superposed helices, or to extend the winding only to a point asubstantial distance from the handle. The advantage of using a singlehelix resides in the fact that the turns do notl interfere in the leastwith the bending of the magnet and the winding does not increase thediameter of the magnet to any substantial extent, while by extending theWinding throughout the length of the core enough effective ampere turnsare provided to create the required flux at the outer end or pole.

Current is conveyed to the electro-magnet from a suitable source ofenergy, such as a battery, by two insulated conductors 4 and 5. As shownin Figure 1, these conductors are connected to the handle by a flexiblecable which enters Ithe handle through an axial bore. At a point aboutmidway the handle, the conductors branch from the cable and extendthrough channels 8 and 9 out of the inner end of said handle where theyare connected to metallic strips 6 and 7. The handle is made of wood,composition, or other suitable insulating material. The strip 7 iselectrically connected to a metallic shell 10, set in a radial recesslocated near the inner end of the handle. The shell has coaxial holesthrough which pass the ends of a push button 11, which is resilientlyheld in its upper, or normal, position by a spiral spring 7, said springbeing compressed between a collar on the push button and the bottom ofthe shell. When the push button is depressed, it makes contact with Ihave found that these rescrew 2 and thereby electrically connects thestrip 7 and conductor 5 with the core of the electro-magnet- The outerterminal of the magnet Winding is connected with thecore, while theinner terminal is connected with the strip 6 and therethrough with theother supplj; conductor 4;, Therefore, when the push utton is depressedand makes .contact with the screw, the magnet circuit is closed, asclearly shown. by Fig. 5.

The core ofthe electro-magnet is composed of soft annealed iron, andbeing long and relatively thin, it ycan easily be bent to various radiiof curvature so as to adapt it to reach around obstacles and entercurved or angular passages.

As lthe circuit of the magnet is normally open at the push button, thetool can be permanently connected With a source of current, therebyavoiding the annoyance and loss of time incident to connecting up thetool and each time it is desired to use it.

While I have described the vstructural details of my invention Withparticularity, I do not intend thereby to limit my invention, but what Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Letter Patent is 1. Anelectro-magnetic tool consisting of a handle of Wood or other suitableinsulating material, having an axial socket at one end and an axial boreat the other end and having channels branching from said bore andopening at the first mentioned end, a long slender rod of annealed ironhaving an end secured in said socket, metallic strips attached to theend of said handle adjacent the openings of said channels, a flexiblecable carrying supply conductors entering the handle through said bore,the conductors entering the handle through said bore, the conductorsbranching from said cable and passing through said channels and havingtheir ends attached to said strips, a push buttom mounted radially of.said handlel adjacent the inner end thereof. and adapted When depressedto make `electrical contact with said rod, said push button beingelectrically connected with one of said metallic strips, and a singlehelix Wound on said rod from a point adjacent its outer end to a pointadjacent said handle, the outer terminal of said helix beingmetallically connected With said rod and the inner terminal thereofbeing connected with the other of said metallic strips.

2. An electro-magnetic tool consisting of a handle of wood or othersuitable insulating material, having anv axial socket at one end and anaxial bore at the other end and having channels branching from said boreand opening at the first mentioned end, a long slender rod of annealediron having an end secured in said socket, metallic strips attached tothe end of said handle adjacent the openings of said channels, aflexible cable carrying a pair of supply conductors entering the handlethrough said bore, the conductors branching from said cablevand passingthrough said channels and having their' ends attached tov said strips, apush button mounted radially of said handle and electrically connectedwith one of' said strips, and a helix on said rod having one terminalmetallically connected therewithv and the other connected With the otherof said strips, said push button' making electrical contact with saidrod When depressed.

3. An electromagnetic tool of the character described, comprising, ahandle of' insulating material,an elongated rod of magnetic metalextending from the. one end of said handle, an insulating wire encircledabout said rod and having its outer end electrically connected to theassociated end of' the rod, and means whereby an electric circuit may beestablished through said wire and rod.

4. A slender pliable and portable electromagnet adapted to be readilybent to any desired form, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

5. A portable electromagnet comprising a slender pliable core and a coilsurrounding said core, said magnet being adapted to be readily bent toany desired form, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. A portable electro-magnet for the purpose described comprising aslender pliable electro-magnet adapted to be readily bent to any desiredform; a handle connected to one end of said magnet: and electricalconductors passing through said handle and electricaly connected withthe terminals of the magnet coils, and adapted to be connected With asource of electricity.

7. A tool for the purpose specified, coinprising a tip of' magneticmetal and a relatively long flexible core of magnetic metal connectedwith the tip, and a flexible electric conductor Winding carried aboutthe flexible core.

8. A tool for 'the purpose specified, including a flexible magneticmetal core and an electric conductor Wound in a flexible Winding aboutsaid Hexible core to create a

